Light Infantry

Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought as scouts, raiders, and skirmishers. These are loose formations that fight ahead of the main army to harass, delay, disrupt supply lines, engage the enemy’s own skirmishing forces, and generally "soften up" an enemy before the main battle. Light infantrymen were also often responsible for screening the main body of a military formation.

Post-World War II, the term "light infantry" evolved to include rapid-deployment units (including commandos and airborne units) that emphasize speed and mobility over armor and firepower. Some units or battalions that historically held a skirmishing role have kept their designation "light infantry" for the sake of tradition.

History

Ancient history

The concept of a skirmishing screen is a very old one and was already well-established in Ancient Greece and Roman times in the form, for example, of the Greek peltast and psiloi, and the Roman ''velites''. As with the so-called "light infantry" of later periods, the term more adequately describes the role of such infantry rather than the actual weight of their equipment. Peltast equipment, for example, grew steadily heavier at the same time as hoplite equipment grew lighter. It was the fact that peltasts fought in open order as skirmishers that made them light infantry and that hoplites fought in the battle line in a phalanx formation that made them heavy infantry.

Modern history

Early regular armies of the modern era frequently relied on irregulars to perform the duties of light infantry skirmishers. In particular, the French Army employed detachments of German and Balkan mercenaries to serve as patrols in the rough country until a permanent corps of Mountain Fusiliers (''Fusiliers des Montagnes'') was raised in the 1740s. In the 17th century, dragoons were sometimes employed as the skirmishers of their day – mounted infantrymen who rode into battle but dismounted to fight, giving them a mobility lacking to regular foot soldiers.

In the 18th and 19th centuries most infantry regiments or battalions had a ''light company'' as an integral part of its composition. Its members were often smaller, more agile men with high shooting ability and capability of using initiative. They did not usually fight in disciplined ranks as did the ordinary infantry but often in widely dispersed groups, necessitating an understanding of skirmish warfare. They were expected to avoid melee engagements unless necessary and would fight ahead of the mainline to harass the enemy before falling back to the main position.

During the period 1777–1781, the Continental Army of the United States adopted the British Army practice of seasonally drafting light infantry regiments as temporary units during active field operations, by combining existing light infantry companies detached from their parent regiments.

Light infantry sometimes carried lighter muskets than ordinary infantrymen while others carried rifles and wore rifle green uniforms. These became designated as ''rifle regiments'' in Britain and '' Jäger'' and '' Schützen'' (sharpshooter) regiments in German-speaking Europe. In France, during the Napoleonic Wars, light infantry were called ''voltigeurs'' and ''chasseurs'' and the sharpshooters ''tirailleurs''. The Austrian army had Grenzer regiments from the middle of the 18th century, who originally served as irregular militia skirmishers recruited from frontier areas. They were gradually absorbed into the line infantry becoming a hybrid type that proved successful against the French, to the extent that Napoleon recruited several units of Austrian army Grenzer to his own army after victory over Austria in 1809 compelled the Austrians to cede territories from which they were traditionally recruited. In Portugal, 1797, companies of ''Caçadores'' (Hunters) were created in the Portuguese Army, and in 1808 led to the formation of independent "Caçador" battalions that became known for their ability to perform precision shooting at long distances.

Light infantry officers sometimes carried muskets or rifles, rather than pistols, and their swords were light curved sabres; as opposed to the heavy, straighter swords of other infantry officers. Orders were sent by bugle or whistle instead of drum (since the sound of a bugle carries further and it is difficult to move fast when carrying a drum). Some armies, including the British and French, recruited whole regiments (or converted existing ones) of light infantry. These were considered elite units, since they required specialised training with emphasis on self-discipline, manoeuvre and initiative to carry out the roles of light infantry as well as those of ordinary infantry.

By the late 19th century the concept of fighting in formation was on the wane due to advancements in weaponry and the distinctions between light and heavy infantry began to disappear. Essentially, all infantry became light infantry in operational practice. Some regiments retained the name and customs, but there was in effect little difference between them and other infantry regiments.

On the eve of World War I the British Army included seven light infantry regiments. These differed from other infantry only in maintaining such traditional distinctions as badges that included a bugle-horn, dark green home service helmets for full dress, and a fast-stepping parade ground march.

Contemporary

Today the term "light" denotes, in the United States table of organization and equipment, units lacking heavy weapons and armor or with a reduced vehicle footprint. Light infantry units lack the greater firepower, operational mobility and protection of mechanized or armored units, but possess greater tactical mobility and the ability to execute missions in severely restrictive terrain and in areas where weather makes vehicular mobility difficult.

Light infantry forces typically rely on their ability to operate under restrictive conditions, surprise, violence of action, training, stealth, field craft, and fitness levels of the individual soldiers to compensate for their reduced lethality. Despite the usage of the term "light", forces in a light unit will normally carry heavier individual loads vis-à-vis other forces; they must carry everything they require to fight, survive and win due to lack of vehicles. Although units like the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) and the 82nd Airborne Division are categorized as Air Assault Infantry and Airborne Infantry respectively, they fall under the overall concept of light infantry. They are typically infantry intended for difficult terrain such as mountains or arctic conditions (US Marines) (Royal Marines, United States Army 10th Mountain Division, United States Army 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), Italian Army Alpini, French Army 27ème bataillon de chasseurs alpins) or jungle (Philippine Army Scout Rangers, Brazilian Army Jungle Infantry Brigades).

In the 1980s, the United States Army increased light forces to address contingencies and increased threats requiring a more deployable force able to operate in restrictive environments for limited periods. At its height, this included the 6th Infantry Division (light), 7th Infantry Division (light), 10th Mountain Division (light infantry), 25th Infantry Division, and the 75th Ranger Regiment. Operation Just Cause is often cited as proof of concept. Almost 30,000 U.S. Forces, mostly light, deployed to Panama within a 48-hour period to execute combat operations. On 30 September 1985, the 29th Infantry Division (Maryland and Virginia Army National Guard) was reactivated at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as the only light Infantry Division in the US Army's reserve components.

During the Falklands War in 1982, both Argentina and the United Kingdom made heavy use of light infantry and its doctrines during the campaign, most notably the Argentine 5th Naval Infantry Battalion (Argentina) and 25th Infantry Regiment (Argentina) and the British Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines of 3 Commando Brigade. Due to the rocky and mountainous terrain of the Falkland Islands, operations on the ground were only made possible with the use of light infantry because the use of mechanized infantry or armour was severely limited by of the terrain, leading to the "Yomp" across the Falklands, in which Royal Marines and Paras yomped (and tabbed) with their equipment across the islands, covering 56 miles (90 km) in three days carrying 80-pound (36 kg) loads after disembarking from ships at San Carlos on East Falkland, on 21 May 1982.

During the 1990s, the concept of purely light forces in the US military came under scrutiny due to their decreased lethality and survivability. This scrutiny has resulted in the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, a greater focus on task organized units (such as Marine Expeditionary Units) and a reduction of purely light forces.

Despite their reduction, light forces have proven successful in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom), underlining the continued need for light infantry.

National examples

Argentina

* Mountain Huntsmen, in Spanish: ''Cazadores de Montaña''
* Jungle Huntsmen, in Spanish: ''Cazadores de Monte''

Austria

Belgium

* 12th-13th Battalion of the Line
* 1st Regiment Jagers te Paard, mechanized reconnaissance battalion
* 2nd/4th Regiment Mounted Rifles, mechanized reconnaissance battalion with electronic warfare unit
* Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers

Brazil

There are three light infantry brigades, (4ª Brigada de Infantaria Leve de Montanha, 11ª Brigada de Infantaria Leve and 12ª Brigada de Infantaria Leve Aeromóvel), and an airborne infantry brigade (Brigada de Infantaria Paraquedista). The 12º Light Infantry Brigade and the Airborne Infantry Brigade both belong to the Força de Ação Rápida Estratégica (Quick Strategic Action Force), which is composed of units capable of rapidly engaging in combat anywhere in Brazil.

Canada

Each of the three regular army regiments ( Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Royal Canadian Regiment and Royal 22^e Régiment) maintains their third battalion as light infantry capable in airborne, mountain, and amphibious operations, with varying degrees of capability. All reserve infantry units are classed as light infantry, all with varying degrees of capability.

Denmark

* Schleswig Regiment of Foot

Finland

* Finnish Jäger troops, volunteers from Finland in Germany trained as Jägers
*Guard Jaeger Regiment, a Finnish Army unit
*Jaeger Brigade, a unit of the Finnish Army
* Para Jägers, Special Operations Airborne Infantry in the Finnish Army
*Utti Jaeger Regiment, the Finnish Army training and development centre for special forces and helicopter operations
* Sissi troops can also be considered light infantry

Finnish infantry units are also known as Jäger (Finnish pl. ''Jääkärit'', Swedish pl. ''Jägarna''), a legacy of a Finnish volunteer Jäger battalion formed in Germany during World War I to fight for the liberation of Finland from Russia.

France

Ancien régime

The ''Chasseur'' designation was given to certain regiments of French light infantry (''Chasseurs à pied'') or light cavalry (''Chasseurs à cheval'').

The ''Chasseurs à pied'' (light infantry) were originally recruited from hunters or woodsmen. The ''Chasseurs à Pied'', as the marksmen of the French army, were considered an elite. The first unit raised was Jean Chrétien Fischer's Free Hunter Company in 1743. Early units were often a mix of cavalry and infantry. In 1776, all ''Chasseurs'' units were re-organized into six battalions, each linked to a cavalry regiment (''Chasseurs à cheval''). In 1788, the link between infantry battalions and cavalry regiments was broken.

Revolution and Napoleon

In 1793, the Ancien Régime's Chasseur battalions were merged with volunteer battalions in new units called Light Infantry half-brigades (''demi-brigades d’infanterie légère''). In 1803, the half-brigades were renamed regiments. These units had three battalions of three regular ''Chasseurs'' companies, one elite ''Carabiniers'' company and one reconnaissance ''voltigeurs'' company.

In Napoléon's Imperial Guard, many units used names linked to light infantry:
* Chasseurs à pied: three regiments (1809–1815; 1815–1815; 1815–1815). The regiments were the elite of the light infantry regiments.
* Fusilier-Chasseurs: a single regiment, originally the first Guard Fusilier Regiment (1809–1815)
* Voltigeur: 16 regiments, originally two regiments of ''Tirailleurs-chasseur'' and two regiments of ''Conscrits-chasseurs'' (1810–1815), then twelve new regiments (1811–1815). These regiments were expected to become Chasseurs à pieds.
* Flanqueurs-Chasseurs: two regiments, from drafted Forest Service members (1811–1815; 1813–1815)

In Bourbon royalist
* Chasseurs Britanniques: battalion-sized corps of royalist volunteers.

19th century

The Napoleonic light infantry regiments existed until 1854, but there were very few differences between them and the line infantry regiments, so the 25 remaining light infantry regiments were transformed to line infantry in 1854.

* Chasseurs à pied: The Duke of Orléans, heir to the throne, created in 1838 a new light infantry unit, the ''Tirailleurs'' battalion. It soon became, under the name ''Chasseur à Pied'', the main light infantry unit in the French Army. The number of battalions grew up steadily through the century. The current Chasseurs battalions drew their lineage form this unit.
* Chasseurs alpins: Some of Chasseurs à pied battalions were converted to specialized mountain units as ''Bataillons de Chasseurs Alpins'' in 1888, as an answer to the Italian Alpine ('' Alpini'') regiments stationed along the Alpine frontier.
* Chasseurs Forestiers: The ''Chasseurs forestiers'' (Forest Huntsmen) were militarized units of the Forest Service. They were organized in companies. They existed between 1875 and 1924.
*Infanterie Légère d'Afrique ( African Light Infantry) were penal battalions forming part of the French forces serving in North Africa. These units were recruited mainly from convicted military criminals from all branches of the French Army, who had finished their sentences in military prisons but still had time to serve before their engagement periods were finished.
* Zouaves: The ''Zouaves'' battalions and regiments were colonial troops, formed originally by Algerians, then by European settlers and colonists. The first Zouave battalion was created in 1831 and changed its recruiting to Europeans in 1841. During the Franco-Austrian War of 1859, effective use was made of Zouaves and ''Chasseurs à pied'' (see above) in evolving light infantry tactics that went further than merely screening the main battle line. At the Battle of Solferino these newly organized skirmishers operated as independent groups that were able to disrupt their Austrian opponents by sudden flank assaults.
* Tirailleurs: ''Tirailleurs'' (Skirmishers) were light infantry who formed a shallow line ahead of the line of battle during the Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars and subsequently. The name was also used for the locally recruited colonial troops in the French Empire between 1841 and 1962.

20th century

* Chasseurs à pied: The ''Chasseurs à pieds'' evolved during the mid 20th century into mechanized infantry units (''Chasseurs mécanisés'') or armored division infantry (''Chasseurs portés''). After World War Two, all Chasseur units were organized on the mechanized infantry model.
* Chasseurs alpins: The ''Chasseurs alpins'', mountain warfare units of the French Army created in 1888.
* Chasseurs pyrénéens and Chasseurs pyrénéens were the short-lived (1939–1940) mountain warfare units formed in the Pyrénées.
* Chasseurs-Parachutistes: The ''Chasseurs-parachutistes'' were airborne infantry units formed in 1943 from Air Force infantry compagnies transferred to the Army.
* Zouaves and Tirailleurs: After the independence of the countries that made up the French Colonial Empire, the ''Zouaves'' and the ''Tirailleurs'' units, save for one, were disbanded.

Modern French Army Light Infantry

* 7th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion
* 13th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion
* 16th Chasseur Battalion
* 27e bataillon de chasseurs alpins
* 1st Tirailleur Regiment
* 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment

Although the traditions of these different branches of the French Army are very different, there is still a tendency to confuse one with the other. For example, when World War I veteran Léon Weil died, the AFP press agency stated that he was a member of the 5th "Regiment de Chasseurs Alpins". It was in fact the 5th Bataillon.

Germany

Hungary

India

The Indian Army of 1914 included ten regiments with "Light Infantry" in their titles. These were the:
* 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light Infantry
* 5th Light Infantry
*6th Jat Light Infantry
*63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry
*83rd Wallajahabad Light Infantry
*91st Punjabis (Light Infantry)
* 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry
* 105th Mahratta Light Infantry
* 110th Mahratta Light Infantry
* 127th Baluch Light Infantry

Most of these regiments lost their separate identity as a result of extensive amalgamations in 1922. The modern Indian Army retains the Maratha Light Infantry and the Sikh Light Infantry and the Eastern Frontier Rifles—also follow the traditions of a rifle regiment.
*Rajputana Rifles
*Garhwal Rifles
* 1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
* 3 Gorkha Rifles
*4 Gorkha Rifles
*5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
*8 Gorkha Rifles
*9 Gorkha Rifles
* 11 Gorkha Rifles
*Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
*Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry
*Maratha Light Infantry
*Sikh Light Infantry

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